Cast iron/steel water trough?

[Kris5s64]

I have a cast iron, or cast steel, water trough(?)... It's dimensions are about 4ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall. The upper trough/tub half is oval kinda bathtub shaped, & the base is rectangular. It seems to be one complete piece probably cast welded(?) together wherever it was made. It has 4 threaded holes in the tub bottom. 2 are 1in npt, 1 is 1/2in npt, & the other is 1/4in npt... It may have been set up to 'automatically' water &/or have had a heat system (?)... It doesn't have any identifying numbers, letters, or symbols. It's not big enough to accommodate an adult comfortably, so I doubt it's a children's bathtub. I believe it's a fancy antique livestock trough. I have pictures..

 

[Steve in VA]

I have a cast iron, or cast steel, water trough(?)... It's dimensions are about 4ft long by 2ft wide by 2ft tall. The upper trough/tub half is oval kinda bathtub shaped, & the base is rectangular. It seems to be one complete piece probably cast welded(?) together wherever it was made. It has 4 threaded holes in the tub bottom. 2 are 1in npt, 1 is 1/2in npt, & the other is 1/4in npt... It may have been set up to 'automatically' water &/or have had a heat system (?)... It doesn't have any identifying numbers, letters, or symbols. It's not big enough to accommodate an adult comfortably, so I doubt it's a children's bathtub. I believe it's a fancy antique livestock trough. I have pictures..View attachment 68467View attachment 68468

Interesting piece. How do you intend to use it? Might be cool as a feature in a flower garden with a fountain.

 

[DoubleO7]

@Kris5s64
The upper and lower are probably furnace brazed together.
It could also be a fountain, a baptismal vessel, a cemetery watering trough where visitors dipped water with a bucket to water the plants at a family plot.

Are the holes with threads in raised bosses or just in areas that are the same thickness as elsewhere in the bottom?

 

[Kris5s64]

@Kris5s64
The upper and lower are probably furnace brazed together.
It could also be a fountain, a baptismal vessel, a cemetery watering trough where visitors dipped water with a bucket to water the plants at a family plot.

Are the holes with threads in raised bosses or just in areas that are the same thickness as elsewhere in the bottom?

All holes are in same thickness, no raised bosses. I haven't been to very many large, fancy cemeteries, so that's a new, interesting possibility... If it was some kind of baptismal tub or fountain, it doesn't have any ornamental stuff on it, but not ruling those possibilities out... I'm sure that it was used for a livestock water &/or feed trough, but I'd like to know it's true original purpose, & it's value, before we decide what to use it for... I'll do more searches based on your suggestions..Thank you very much, & if you have any other ideas, I'll be glad to hear them also...

 

[Kris5s64]

Interesting piece. How do you intend to use it? Might be cool as a feature in a flower garden with a fountain.

That's what we're trying to figure out. We need to know it's original purpose and it's possible value before we decide what to do with it... Obviously, if it's worth thousands, or even hundreds, we would take extra care of it, if not sell it.. If it's only worth a few hundred, or less, then the wife wanted to make it a fancy, HEAVY, planter as you suggested. (That was her first suggestion the day I brought it home, of course... Women! Ha ha!)

 

[DoubleO7]

@Kris5s64
Usually, especially NPT threads in cast iron, the amount of engagement for proper sealing is a recommended amount.
See the below chart.
Hand tight for 1" pipe is 0.400 inch, or just over 3/8 inches.

If the cast iron is thinner than the figures in the chart, where the pipe holes are located, my guess is the tub was not made for being drilled and tapped for NPT pipes.
If thinner, it may have been made to be filled via a hand pump.
Be very careful screwing the pipes in too far if the cast iron is thin. You don't want to crack the cast iron.

 

[Kris5s64]

I didn't do any of the holes in it. They were already in the 'tub', I just cleaned them up. The thickness is right at 3/8".